The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has called for comprehensive reforms in the structure of the United Nations Security Council.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, speaking on behalf of NAM, urged the democratization of the Security Council as an influential international body tasked with safeguarding international peace and security.

Iran currently holds the rotating presidency of NAM.

The chief diplomat made the proposal at a meeting that marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the UN.

The following is the full text of the NAM statement, read out by Zarif on Thursday in New York:

Mr. President,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. Let me begin by welcoming the initiative by the African Group to hold this high-level thematic debate as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. It is indeed appropriate and pertinent that we avail ourselves of this opportunity to reflect on what we have done within the UN system in the past 7 decades, take stock of its lasting achievements and draw lessons from its failures. In the light of the serious challenges that we are currently facing, the norms and principles that we have agreed upon should be upheld and underlie our actions.

For many years such issues as decolonization, apartheid, the situation in the Middle East including the Question of Palestine, and the maintenance of international peace and security, and disarmament have been of vital importance for the overwhelming majority of UN Member States, and NAM has been playing a key active, effective and central role, over the years, on these issues of concern to its members.

In our quest to help maintain international peace and security, we have always reaffirmed that the United Nations, its Charter, and international law remain indispensable and central in the preservation and maintenance of international peace and security and the strengthening of international cooperation. While acknowledging its limitations, the United Nations remains the central multilateral forum for addressing the pressing global issues and challenges presently confronting all States. The responsibility for managing and achieving worldwide economic development and social progress as well as responding to threats to international peace and security must be shared among all States and exercised multilaterally through the UN.

Our Movement has and will continue to uphold the principles of sovereignty and the sovereign equality of States, territorial integrity and non-intervention in the internal affairs of any State. We have always maintained that respect for the rule of law is essential to maintain international peace and security as well as achieving socioeconomic development; stressed the need to elaborate the rule of law concept through inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process; and reiterated that it is indispensable to maintain balance in developing the national and international dimensions of rule of law.

Mr. President,

We reiterate the basic principle of the UN Charter that all States shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN. The Movement stresses that the UN Charter contains sufficient provisions regarding the use of force to maintain and preserve international peace and security, and that achieving this goal by the Security Council should be strictly done in full conformity with the relevant Charter provisions. Resorting to Chapter VII of the Charter as an umbrella for addressing issues that do not pose a threat to international peace and security must be avoided and in this regard, the Council should fully utilize the relevant Charter provisions, where appropriate, including Chapters VI and VIII. In addition, and consistent with the practice of the UN and international law, as pronounced by the ICJ, Article 51 of the UN Charter is restrictive and should not be re-written or re-interpreted.

The Security Council-imposed sanctions remain an issue of serious concern to Non-Aligned Countries. In accordance with the UN Charter, sanctions should be considered to be imposed only after all means of peaceful settlement of disputes under Chapter VI of the Charter have been exhausted and a thorough consideration undertaken of the short-term and long-term effects of such sanctions. Sanctions are a blunt instrument, the use of which raises fundamental ethical questions of whether sufferings inflicted on vulnerable groups in the target country are legitimate means of exerting pressure.

We need to advance democratization and comprehensive reform of the Security Council as an effective forum in the maintenance of international peace and security by expanding it to include greater representation of developing countries, proportionate to the increase in number of developing countries in the General Assembly, and in keeping with the principle of sovereign equality of states.
At the same time, we have reiterated the role of the General Assembly in the maintenance of international peace and security and expressed grave concern at instances wherein the Security Council fails to address cases involving genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or ceasefire between belligerent parties, in fulfillment of its primary responsibility in this regard. In such instances where the Security Council has not fulfilled its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the General Assembly should take appropriate measures in accordance with the Charter to address the issue.

We believe that, in the context of existing and new threats and challenges, it is imperative for us to continue to promote multilateralism, especially by strengthening the central role of the United Nations, including in Global Governance, defending the interests of developing countries and preventing their marginalization. It is indispensable for UN Member States to develop common perceptions and agreed approaches to address existing, new and emerging threats and challenges to international peace and security as well as the root causes of conflict. Such common perceptions and approaches to collective security would only be legitimate if they are developed in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter and by all Member States acting together. The active participation of each and every principal organ of the UN is crucial, acting both in the exercise of its respective functions and powers, without upsetting the balance established by the Charter.

We reaffirm the need for all Member States to further contribute regionally and internationally to the promotion of dialogue, tolerance, mutual respect, understanding and acceptance through initiatives such as A World against Violent Extremism, Dialogue among Civilizations, Alliance of Civilizations and the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM). We further recognize the importance of moderation as an all-encompassing approach to tackle global challenges and threats to international peace and security. In this context, we urge all Member States to unite against violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations as well as sectarian violence and encourage the efforts of leaders to discuss within their communities the causes of violent extremism and discrimination and evolve strategies to address these cause.

Thank you Mr. President